The Journey
Venturing into the Italian luxury accessories sector can be intimidating to say the least. Attending trade fairs devoted to sourcing gorgeous leather and hardware without a big fashion name on your business card is challenging. Announcing to smartly dressed Italians with decades of supplying the best labels in the world that you're designing accessories for dogs takes things into a whole new dimension.
Eventually things became easier, more familiar, better. I was on a strange journey through unfamiliar territory, but gradually I met people who seemed enchanted with my plan. People everywhere love dogs and they love talking about them, it's something we have in common. We take breaks from talking about next season's leathers and orders, instead we share photos and videos of our dogs, and sometimes a tale or two about the ones we've lost. Business associates have become friends. These are the unexpected joys of traveling the miles to connect with strangers in a foreign land I would otherwise never have met, experiences I would never have had. Italy has become a sort of home away from home. So I go, and I'll keep going because the journey doesn't end. This is only the beginning. Andiamo!